EU direct taxes proposal faces strong opposition
Plans to introduce direct EU taxes in some areas to reduce member state contributions not welcomed by senior member states
Janusz Lewandowski, EU budget commissioner
EU proposals to levy direct taxes in areas such as financial transactions,
carbon emissions and aviation are set to be shot down after senior member states
raised concerns over tax sovereignty.
Budget commissioner Janusz Lewandowski aims to put forward the idea in
September in a bid to reduce EU member state contributions, but the proposals
have been given short shrift even by the most pro-European countries.
Germany’s coalition agreement precludes EU involvement in national taxes
while French ministers said the proposal was “ill-timed”, according to
tax-news.com.
UK Treasury minister Lord Sassoon also that the government was opposed to
direct EU taxes.